Campground Zone Update
BACKGROUND
The Town of Osoyoos is a provincially designated “Resort Municipality” and has committed, along with 13 other municipalities, to partnering with the provincial government to create world class experiences for visitors to British Columbia.
This involves stimulating tourism activity and associated economic development across the province through the creation of successful resorts and vibrant resort communities. This includes, amongst other things:
- developing, enhancing and diversifying tourism-related infrastructure and amenities to attract visitors, encourage longer stays or broaden the appeal of the resort community; and
- improving accessibility to tourism infrastructure and amenities.
Boasting the warmest climate and freshwater lake in Canada, a unique desert landscape, award winning wineries and vineyards, vibrant indigenous culture and tourism and recreation opportunities (golf courses, hiking trails and local festivals), the Town is an attractive summer destination for tourist – including those seeking camping opportunities.
To accommodate this demand, there are a number of campgrounds that operate within the Town’s boundaries and which have historically been zoned for tourist commercial purposes (e.g. these zones ensure accommodation is provided on a seasonal or temporary basis).
Importantly, these “campground zones” were not intended to provide for year-round residential accommodation or the placement of permanent (or semi-permanent) units on individual campsite spaces/pads.
ISSUE
The Town is also aware that many camp sites that were intended to provide tourist commercial accommodations appear to have transitioned into year-round housing for resident owners and occupiers and that this may have occurred without proper approvals and potentially in contravention of existing zoning bylaw regulations.
A further complicating factor is that some campgrounds have undergone stratification or are now subject to a shared ownership model which has, in some cases, encouraged year-round occupancy. This is of concern as it results in reduced availability for commercial occupancy by visitors to the community.
Finally, the Town is aware of concerns previously raised by members of the community regarding what is perceived as inconsistent interpretation by Town staff of the zoning bylaw as it relates to the placement of park models in the recreational vehicle parks. For example, some RV space owners were advised that “no permit was required for the placement of a park model”, at other times owners were required to secure a “Siting Permit” from the Town’s Building Inspector.
As a result, the Town regularly receives inquiries regarding the placement of permanent structures within a campground, including “Park Models” (CSA Z241) “mobile homes” (CSA Z240) along with the addition of decks, sunrooms and carports – all of which are normally associated with a permanent residential use.
EXISTING CAMPGROUND COMMERCIAL (CT2) ZONE
The Campground Commercial (CT2) Zone under the Town of Osoyoos Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, permits “campground” as the sole principal use, and “accessory building or structure, subject to Section 7.1” as an accessory use, amongst other things.
“Campground” is defined under the Zoning Bylaw to mean “a parcel of land occupied and maintained for temporary accommodation of the traveling public in tents, tourist cabins or recreational vehicles which are licensed for the current year and have been brought to the site by the traveler. May include an office as part of the permitted use but excludes hotels, manufactured homes, manufactured home parks, or motels”.
Recreational Vehicles
“Recreational vehicle” means “a vehicle designed to be towed behind a motor vehicle or self-propelled, and includes such vehicles commonly known as travel trailers, fifth wheels, camper trailers, pick-up coaches, motorized campers, motorized homes, park model trailers and other similar vehicles, including vehicles constructed to the Canadian Standards Association Z240 RV and Z241 Standards, which provide temporary recreational accommodation for the traveling public”.
Building permits cannot be issued for the placement of CSA Z241 park model trailers or CSA Z240 RVs as they are not regulated under the BC Building Code. This means that, where zoning permits the use of a recreational vehicle (i.e., as part of a campground use), a CSA Z241 or CSA Z240RV may be placed on those lands without a building permit, as long as the placement and use of those recreational vehicles remains consistent with all other applicable zoning.
The Zoning Bylaw clearly stipulates that campgrounds are intended to provide for temporary accommodations. Recreational vehicles are meant to be brought to the campground site by the traveler for temporary accommodations, and subsequently removed from the site when the traveler departs.
Additions to Recreational Vehicles
Permanent and semi-permanent additions onto recreational vehicles, such as decks and sunrooms/Arizona rooms are seen to encumber an owner’s ability to remove the recreational vehicle from a campground. In this regard, a permanent/semi-permanent addition to a recreational vehicle is not seen to be in keeping with the intended temporary nature of its use in a campground and is not permitted.
While “accessory buildings and structures” are permitted within the CT2 Zone in relation to the campground use, these structures would ordinarily be accessory to the principal campground operation as a whole (e.g., a maintenance or storage shed associated with the campground operation) as opposed to a particular site in a campground. For this reason, the construction of sheds and detached sunrooms on individual sites is not permitted.
Accessory buildings and structures for a campground operation require building permits unless explicitly exempt under the Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009.
CT2 ZONE REVIEW
In response to these issues, the Town will be initiating a review of the Campground Commercial (CT2) Zone in 2025.
The intent of this review will be to assess all existing properties currently zoned CT2 in order to determine if a more appropriate zoning is required, such as the Residential Manufactured Home Park (RSM) Zone, or if the CT2 Zone accurately reflects how a campground is currently being used.
The RSM Zone could, for instance, allow for an appropriate conversion of identified campgrounds to more appropriate housing forms (i.e. modular and mobile homes, which are constructed to CSA A277 and CSA Z240 Standards, respectively) that meet standards established by the Building Code and which can be inspected and permitted by the Town.
NEXT STEPS
Formal initiation of the project is anticipated to occur in late 2025, however, until then the Town will accept any comments from the public regarding this project.
For reference purposes, copies of the CT2 and RSM zones are included below, including a comparison of the two zones along with pertinent definitions.
CONTACT US!
Contact Planning and Development Services: plan@osoyoos.ca